Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood is to the wild-west what Call Of Duty 4 was to modern warfare. It’s a roller coaster ride of engaging characters, plot twists and action sequences. Juarez will have you hooked from the get-go.

What’s It All About?

Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood is the prequel to the similarly titled XBOX 360 release. It follows the early lives of brothers Ray and Thomas McCall, soldiers for the Confederacy in the American Civil War. The tale of the McCall’s is told via Tarantino style time-leaps, an inviting technique which leaves the plot open to a lot of twists along the way. Never assume you’ve guessed what is to come in Juarez, as your assumption will probably come back to bite you. Bound In Blood is an interesting tale of love triangles and sibling rivalry. It relies on cliche occasionally, but a Western isn’t genuine without a hint of that. Some excellent cinematography and a delightful music score elevate the plot higher than most first person shooters, despite some iffy voice acting.

Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood will take approximately 6 hours to complete, but replayability is encouraged via branching mission objectives depending on your chosen characters. A multiplayer component rounds out the package.

What We Liked:

• Refreshing pace and feel. Despite falling victim to its own inevitable cliches, Bound In Blood is still a refreshing romp when stacked next to countless sci-fi and World War II shooters. The western setting lends itself perfectly to a number of excellent set pieces including a trip down a canal and a stage coach shootout. The game moves at a terrific pace, sacrificing game length to ensure you’re never far away from the action. It’s linear in almost every sense but that grants access to some really awesome moments.
• Engaging plot. One of Bound In Blood’s most interesting aspects is its engaging plot. The game constantly has you second guessing the plot’s next big twist, always giving you enough clues but occasionally steering you in the wrong direction. The character development of brothers Thomas and Ray is really interesting as you watch their relationship both develop and deteriorate. The fact that the tale is narrated by the third McCall brother, a reverend, is also an interesting dynamic which gives the plot an entirely different outlook.
• Some interesting mechanics. Choosing between brothers Thomas or Ray at the start of the mission will not only entitle you to a different viewpoint of the campaign’s objectives, but also grants you a mix of gameplay mechanics. Thomas can use a lasso to climb and scout out vantage points; naturally making him better with long rage weapons. Ray on the other hand is excellent in close quarters and is provided some subtle auto-aim to make dual-wielding that much more enjoyable. The fact that the brothers will split up from time to time also encourages replay value. Other mechanics such as horse riding, concentration shooting (essentially bullet time) and high-noon showdowns don’t necessarily make the game feel fresh - but are lovingly crafted enough to feel interesting and fun.

• Beautiful presentation. The presentation in Bound Of Blood is gorgeous thanks to a colourful environment and some great audio. Animation can be a bit wonky at times, but Juarez makes up for this with breathtaking vistas and some wonderful cinematography. One mission takes place in a foggy village and culminates in a haunting graveyard shootout which looks rather spectacular. Loading screens are occupied by narration and static images that have a hand-drawn look to them. It helps to keep the story moving while the game takes a breather.

What We Didn’t Like:

• Some dodgy voice acting. Occasionally Bound In Blood will make a hiccup in the voice acting department. This is sometimes emphasised by some weak animation but the plot is strong enough to overcome these slipups on the whole.
• Checkpoint loading breaks up the action. Frequently, Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood will pause to load the next section. While we appreciate Techland for not forcing an install on us, we couldn’t help but feel these pauses caused a few too many breaks in the action.
• Screen tearing. Bound In Blood is a great looking game but for some reason it is riddled with minor screen-tearing. You’ll only really notice it when you look for it, but it’s there none the less. All the time.
• Clunky cover system. Call Of Juarez introduces a new take on the cover system, but ultimately we found it worthless. The game tries to lock you behind cover allowing you to peak with the right stick. Alas, we found it far too clunky to be of any use and made our own cover using the crouch button.

Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood includes a complete multiplayer component which we’ll look at in more depth in the very near future.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game may not play quite as well as you’d hope, but if you’re a fan of the franchise, you’re going to find more than enough to make you smile throughout the game’s campaign.

What’s It All About?

Playing as an elusive silent protagonist only referred to as “Rookie”, you fill the shoes of the fifth Ghostbuster, learning from the best and embarking on a campaign to save Manhattan from a ruthless army of undead reapers. Whilst we were initially concerned, playing as the fifth Ghostbuster gives you a snapshot view of the interaction between the team and turns out to be an inspired design choice.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game has a single-player campaign that takes around seven hours to complete, however online co-op is included to flesh out the experience.

What We Liked:

• A true sequel. From almost every angle you look at it, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a perfect extension to the franchise. With a plot contributed by original writers Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, aswell as a majority of the original cast on-board for vocal talent - the story will raise many a smile from fans. It’s not just the delivery that’s been nailed though; the look is also perfect. From the facial animations, to the behaviour of the proton packs - the game is a real labour of love and it shows.
• Capturing mechanics. Sitting somewhere in between Gears Of War and Dead Space, Ghostbusters: The Video Game provides you with the ability to tether and subsequently capture ghosts. The proton pack is controlled with the R2 trigger, which reduces resistance from the enemy and gives you time to lay a trap and capture it with precise control of the right-stick. There are times in the campaign where you’ll find yourself alone, but Ghostbusters is essentially a co-op game where you’ll need to work as a team to wrangle demons into their metallic living quarters. The AI is pretty helpful at capturing ghosts, but when it comes to recovering team-mates, frustration at its stupidity will occur.
• Weaponry. Unlocking slowly as you progress through the game, there are a range of weaponry upgrades for your proton pack. These range from a slime spewing hose to the more conventional shotgun and machine gun alternatives. They’re all fairly fun to use although switching between them with the D-Pad can be a tad cumbersome. Regardless, switching becomes essential as each enemy has specific weaknesses. The game also incorporates some puzzle-like elements that take advantage of the various weaponry. For example, shooting “slime tethers” will allow you to turn cogs  and break open doors.
• Awesome set-pieces. Ghostbusters: The Video Game feels like a roller-coaster at times. It’s totally linear, but the developers use that to their advantage. Filling the world with constant twists, turns and memorable moments makes the universe feel alive. It also helps you to forget some of the game’s more tedious moments.

What We Didn’t Like:

• Initially confusing. By trying to keep the tempo high, Ghostbusters skips over explanation quite quickly. That means you’re thrown into the action with little clue of how to progress. Learning the game’s mechanics won’t take long, but that initial period of confusion can be a little frustrating - particularly when everything feels so natural once you get the hang of it. Consigning the HUD to the player’s proton pack is also bemusing — Dead Space worked because the HUD was rather simple, which isn’t the case here.
• Unclear objectives. When you’re not sucking up the undead with a menagerie of science fiction goodies, you’ll be left exploring the rather linear world. Exploration occurs by using the PKE meter, a simple device that puts you into a first-person perspective and points you in a rough direction. These sections, while true to the fiction, can really break the pace of the game and end up coming off a bit dull. Thankfully, spontaneous and witty dialogue from the game’s characters help to break up the monotony.
• Glitches. Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a tad rough. The graphics aren’t the best and there are a number of glitches. Compressed cutscenes, long load times and pretty darn silly AI constantly remind you that you’re playing a game - despite the excellent script writing trying to convince you otherwise. We also had a problem with objects (even characters) floating a few feet off the ground  - and no, before you ask, they were not supposed to be floating. Although we guess such a glitch is not exactly detrimental to the game’s context.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game has a full online multiplayer component which we’ll cover in detail when we’ve had more time with it.

We’ve read the comments everywhere: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves doesn’t need multiplayer. Ever since our blow-out coverage of the multiplayer portion to Naughty Dog’s super impressive third-person shooter the scepticism has been apparent. Thus, we’re pleased to console those with milling anxiety - take our word for it; you’re going to want to play the multiplayer in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

The beta comes with two competitive multiplayer maps: Plaza - a gritty, almost castle like setting - and Village - a murky, shanty-town being battered by a raging storm. Naturally both maps look amazing, from the subtle lighting of Plaza to the gorgeous rain fall of the Village.

After a few teething troubles with the matchmaking - these things are to be expected in a beta - we were able to dip into a Team Deathmatch game on the Village map playing as Drake. There are two factions in Uncharted 2: the Heroes and the Villains. Naturally the heroes include Drake, Chloe, Sully and Elena but the villains have much less personality, opting for typical “terrorist” designs. It makes sense, but it’s more fun playing as the Heroes.

Settling into the controls will literally take a minute - all the controls are where you expect them to be save for Reload being mapped to R2. What’s instantly recognisable about Uncharted 2’s multiplayer is that the maps are designed with platforming in mind. Many expected Naughty Dog to craft some flat maps, focusing on the gunplay rather than the other hook of Uncharted - the climbing. That’s not true - there are enough ledges and houses to climb to make it worthwhile. This also gives you the tactical advantage of being able to shoot ground troops who are hiding behind cover, but of course, leaves you wide open to enemy fire.

We were, unsurprisingly, annihilated in our first Team Deathmatch game and headed off to try out co-op. In co-op you’ll partner with two other players in order to complete simple objectives. In the Nepal Warzone campaign we played, our Drake was joined by Sully and Chloe. Much like Resistance 2, the co-op campaign in Uncharted 2 is based on scenarios from the single-player but told from a different perspective. It’s particularly light on story actually, as you’d hope. The scene starts out with Drake reading a map and suggesting a direction - from there on out it’s the gritty business. You’ll be taking out enemies from behind cover, and there are lots of them. The game likes to drop enemies all over the various battlefields too, so you’ll need to work as a team to cover all bases. Players can be revived by team-mates and there are also simple objectives such as destroying walls and creating makeshift ladders.

The most addictive part of the co-op campaign though is the multiplier. Every enemy you kill will rack up your multiplier and subsequently result in a higher score for the next enemy. It’s something that allows the game to rank your co-op performance upon completion but also adds to your profile’s $ total.

Essentially, Uncharted 2’s answer to XP are $’s; a solution much more relevant to the actual theme of the game. Earning $’s will increase your rank and subsequently unlock new perks, which you can equip two of. Yes, it’s Call Of Duty 4, and no it doesn’t develop the idea any further. But hey, it was always a good idea in the first place and it’s no less than that here.

Further $’s can be earned by completing certain tasks in a mission - for example killing two enemies successively in a row or killing the idol carrier in Plunder.

Plunder is the secondary mode in Uncharted 2’s competitive multiplayer. It’s essentially one flag CTF, except the flag is replaced with a more appropriate golden treasure. Carrying the treasure impairs movement, but the idol can be thrown - opening up the possibilities of pass the parcel style gameplay. Playing Plunder on the Plaza map, we also found that the idol had to be thrown up a building to be captured — meaning it’s handy to have someone waiting to catch it and capture it, rather than wasting time climbing up the building yourself and risking an enemy taking you out before you can successfully capture the treasure.

As you’d expect from Naughty Dog the game pushes the Playstation 3 to the edges of limit. We’re kind of amazed actually, because the beta is only a 1.2GB download. Naturally we expect the finished game will be polished beyond belief when it launches later this year.

In terms of functionality; you can invite friends, create parties and it looks like you’ll be able to record matches and watch them back at a later date. Naturally that functionality is locked out of the beta mind.

Not content with being one of this generation’s best open-world games, we’re confident in saying that inFamous is the best super-hero game ever made. While its presentation can be flawed at times, we can’t overlook the fact that by putting us in control of the electrically powered Cole, Sucker Punch have offered us the reigns to one of the most fun protagonists we’ve ever come across.

What’s It All About?

You play as Cole McGrath, the subject of an inexplicable explosion, and the carrier of some deadly electrical powers. With the entirety of Cole’s hometown - Empire City - suffering the consequences of the blast, the government puts the location under quarantine. With a loss of order, and gangs rising from the underground, Cole embarks on discovering the reasons for his powers - and saving or destroying the city that granted him them.

inFamous includes moral decisions, and thus there are many branching aspects to its storyline. A single playthrough will take around 10 hours, but there are many side-missions and collectables to find upon completion.

What We Liked:

• Ridiculous combat. inFamous provides a good mix of combat and platforming throughout its campaign. The electrical powers Cole has obtained, along with his history as a delivery boy, make his combat arsenal particularly empowering. Holding the L1 button takes you into a Resident Evil-style over-the-shoulder viewpoint allowing you to zap an array of pantomime goons with the R1 button. Progressing through the game’s plot provides Cole with a series of upgrades; hitting Square while in combat mode enables Shock Grenades, while X produces a Shockwave. You’ll also obtain an electricity based sniper rifle and rocket launcher. Using electricity will drain Cole of power, so you are required to find charging stations (lamp-posts, traffic lights, generators) in order to power your arsenal. Abilities can also be upgraded by using XP which is earned by completing missions and defeating enemies. Cole’s arsenal differs greatly depending on the moral choices he makes.
• Excellent platforming. Not content with being a walking electrical army, Cole’s history as a delivery boy has also made him an ample climber. Scaling Empire City is one of inFamous’ high-points: it’s obvious that Sucker Punch had a design philosophy of “if you can see it, you can climb it”. Cole’s climbing animations are phenomenal at times, and naturally, you’re greeted by wonderful views once you manage to manoeuvre Cole to where you want him to be.
• Empire City. Like Grand Auto’s Liberty City, inFamous’ Empire City becomes one of the games lasting hooks. Under quarantine, Empire City is left to fend for itself. And the people show the burden of this as they watch over friends and family who lay retching on the pavement. Cole can save these people, or kill them. It really is up to the player. And your actions will spark reactions from the people of the city. They’ll throw stones at you if you’ve hurt them or their family, or they’ll respect and help you if you’ve been good. It’s memorable the first time a member of the city runs up to you and takes your photograph. Cole is an important part of the future of Empire City, and you’ll feel the weight of his actions.
• Narrative. Much of inFamous’ narrative is pieced together via phone-calls conducted during missions. Occasionally the game will sweep out to some brilliantly illustrated comic-book cut-scenes. While inFamous isn’t particularly heavy on story, there are a number of twists, particularly at the end, that build the game into a satisfying crescendo.
• Mission variety. Unlike most open-world games, inFamous keeps recycling to a minimum - opting for a massive range of mission types be they a part of the main campaign or side-missions. This keeps the gameplay fresh, interesting and allows Cole to get an equal use of all his abilities. You’ll want to complete the side-missions in inFamous because Sucker Punch have made it cohesive, rewarding and most of all fun. Let it be said though, inFamous is a challenging game, and there are a few missions near the end that will cause serious frustration for even the most hardened of player.

• Bosses. There are three real main boss fights in inFamous; and they are all awesome. We don’t want to give too much away, but we just want you to know that you’re in for treat when you do eventually pick the game up. They’re memorable to say the least.

What We Didn’t Like:

• Technical issues. Let it be said that inFamous doesn’t have quite the same technical flair as is expected from Playstation 3 exclusives lately. That’s not to say inFamous is a bad looking game - not by any means, the animation, art style and detail is fantastic - however, there is a lot of pop-in. The depth of of field is also not particularly inspiring, making some of the vistas a bit washed out. Having said that; inFamous has a rock-solid frame-rate. No matter how much stuff is blowing up (and there is lots) inFamous remains totally smooth. It’s also worth noting that the game never loads.
• Black-and-white moral decisions. We enjoyed the moral aspects of inFamous, but after playing the likes of GTA and Fallout 3, we couldn’t help but feel everything was a bit cut-throat. You either do x or y and the outcome is good or bad - which is fine but, we can’t help feeling things have progressed a little. Perhaps we’re spoiled after the guilt riddling instances provided by GTAIV.